Adding-machine



(No Model.)

o. W. POWLBR.

ADDING MACHINE No. 437,889. 'Patented Oct. 7, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W FOVLER, OF CLOVERPORT, KENTUCKY.

ADDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,889, dated October7, 1890.

Application filed March 5,1890. Serial No. 342,762. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. FoWLEn, ot Cloverport, in the county ofBreckinridge and State of Kentucky, have invented a new andusefullmprovement in Adding-Machines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My objects are to provide a machine of compact form and of greatcapacity, having simple operating mechanism, to secure accuracy ofoperation, and to avoid confusion in selecting the proper figures on theseveral dial-rin gs.

My invention includes a pair or series of concentric rings withoperating mechanism between, and the features of novelty lie in theconstruction and arrangement of said operating means, in means forpreventing the momentum of the operated ring from destroying theaccuracy of the result, and in various details of constructionhereinafter particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan View of the device withthe coveringplate removed and with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view. Fig. 3 is a View of the covering-plate. Fig.4 represents details.

The shell supporting the operating parts consists of a circular plate E,to which is fixed at its periphery a ring K, having a shoulder l on itsinner edge. Vithin the stationary flange or ring is a similar flange D,having a shoulder 2 on its outer edge and a shoulder 3 on its inneredge. In the present case I illustrate a machine having' threecalculatingrings; but it will be und crstood that two rings or more maybe used without departing from the spiritof my invention. The first ringA, for the tens and units, rests upon the shoulder l of the flange K,and is numbered from 00 to 99, the said flange being similarly numberedfrom O0 to 99, beginning at point y, which designates the point at whichthe movementot the rings is stopped and at which the result ot' thecalculation appears. lVithin the ring A and resting upon the outershoulder 2 ot the stationary flange Dis the hundredsring B, and thethird ring C is placed Within the flange D, resting upon the innershoulder 3. The ring C is numbered from l to 100 and the flange D from lto 99, the 00 mark being omitted. It will thus be understood that insolving examples the units and tens up to 99 are indicated on dial A,hundreds and thousands up to 9,999 on dials A and B, or 9,900 on dial B,and 990,000 on the dial C. Each ring is formed withratchet-shaped teetht, corresponding in number to the numbers on the ring. The teeth of thering A are on the outer edge and form a series of pockets between saidedge and the stationary iiange K. The teeth of the other rings areformed on the edges adjacent to the ilange D. The pockets formed by theteeth andthe stationary parts are adapted to receive any suitablepointed instrument, and their size is such as to render the manipulationeasy and to avoid all confusion and doubt as to which figure it isopposite.

The rings A B are covered by a shield d2, which is wide enough to extendfrom the base of the teeth on one ring to the base of the teeth on theother ring, so that said teeth will be left exposed to receive theoperating instrument, while the numbers are completely covered fromview. The shield is supported on pins l0, passing from the plate E upbetween the rings A B. The shield is slotted at CZ e, Fig. 3, which slotcomes over the indicating-line y to leave the result of the calculationclearly visible. The inner ring C is covered to the base of its teethbya plate C', and it is also slotted at @,being supported on and held inposition by suitable pins ll.

The center of the casing is cut out forlightness aud for convenienceinhandling the machine, and a circular rim E extends upwardly about saidopening, the plate C being cut out to tit around said rim.

In order to operate the h u ndreds-rin g B each time the tens and unitsringAis given a complete revolution, the following mechanism isprovided: The ring A has adepending camliange A on its under side, whichis provided on its inner side with a cam-shoulder a either immediatelybeneath the 00 mark on the ring or so placed as to release bar L when 00reaches the stop. The ringB is likewise formed with a depending iiange,and the inner edge of this is provided with ratchet-teeth 5 and acamtlange B and shoulder b, (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1,) similar tothat on A, but placed between IOO the plate that has figures on it andthe one that has teeth 5 on it. The flange D, as shown at z, is undercutto admit the operating mechanism which transmits the movement to thehundreds-ring.

lThe ring B is operated through its ratchet 5 by means of a push-pawl o,held in engagement therewith'by means of a spring. The push-pawl ispivotally connected to a bellcrank lever P, to which also is pivoted thebar L, adapted to operate longitudinally through the rib D and to bearupon the depending cam-flange A. The parts are under constant tension ofspring G, which, as shown in dotted lines,bears upon the bell-crank andtends to press the bar L outward and to move forward thepush-pawlothrough the connecting bell-crank lever. When the parts are innormal position, the barLpresses against the low part of the cam; butwhen the ringAis given a full revolution in calculating the bar L ridesup to the high part of the cam, thus retracting the push-pawl o toengage with a new tooth, and the final part of the movement of ring Acarries the high part entirely past the bar L, allowing the spring G toexert its force and move forward the hundreds-rin g one step. The ring Bis held in its moved position by a catch-pawl W, pressed into contacttherewith by the spring w. The momentum of the operated ring B mightcarry it more than one tooth-space were special provision not made toavoid this, and in order to prevent any such action I provide a stiffbraker spring u, supported at s, with the other end c fitting inanotchin the pawl o. This spring is so placed that it will be stronglycompressed when the pawl moves forward, the end Ubel-ng moved toward aperpendicular or radial line drawn from the point s to the ratchet-teethof ring B. The increased power of the spring, caused by the forwardmovement of the pawl, operates to make the frictional connection betweenthe pawl and the ratchet-teeth rigid, t-hus causing` said pawl to holdthe ring in the exact position to which it has been moved. The action ofthis spring, so far as its holding qualities are concerned, isA likethat of a rigid wedging-lever, which normally is inclined and is movedto the perpendicular by the forward movement of the pawl;rbut as it isessential that each ring should be movable independent of the ringslower in the scale it is desirable to use the stiff spring mentionedinstead of the rigid lever, and in order to remove the extra pressurecaused by this spring as quickly as possible the first part af of thecam A' is made steep, so that the pressure on the pawl will be relievedby the backward movement of said pawl as soon as the ring is moved aslight l distance. After this first rapid movement the rise of the camis gradual.

The operating mechanism between B and vC is exactly similar to that justdescribed.

A spring-catch Q is provided on the outside of the case to engage withthe teeth of the ring A to insure the accurate position of said ring.The stop against which the operatingstylus abuts in turning the ringsconsists of .a bar or wire S, extending over the rings at readily, or itmay readily be disengaged from the holding-plate and held in the hand.

The machine might be made smaller than shown by doing away with thescale K and 'placing the flange D between the parts A and B and makingthe scale for the inner ring o n a disk within. In this case it wouldnot be, essential for the third ring C to have one hundred teeth, but itcould have any number,

thus in creasing or decreasing the ultimate capacity of the machine.

To operate the machine, first, as an adder; second, as a multiplier:

The machine maybe used to add from one to six columns at a time; but inpractice it is found more convenient to add even numbers of columns,because it is easier to hold in the memory pairs of numbers than anyother groups. To illustrate with an example: Suppose itis required toadd 3,426, 12,7 35, and

253,218. If the dials are not already at zero, e

set them so byinserting the operating-stylus into the pocket opposite00, which is indicated by coloring the tooth that forms that particularpocket some striking color, as black,

and moving the dial in a positive directionV until the stylus meets thestops.v Do this with each dial, always beginning withl the units-dial A.To solve the above exampleat one operation insert the stylus intopocket25 on dial C and move to the stop, then into pocket 32 on dial Band move to the stop, and

then into pocket 18 on dial A and move to the stop,when the number253,218 will show in the slot in the shields or cover, Fig. 4:. Theninsert the stylus into pocket 1, dial C, 27, dial B, and 35, dial A, andmove to the stop, when the sum of thelast two numbers will be shown.Then insert the stylus into pocket 34 in dial B and pocket 26 in dial Aand move lto the stop as before, when the total sum will be shown,269,379. The 26 will show on dial C, 93 on dial B, and 79 on dial A, allthe carrying being done automatically. Reset the machine at zero.

Second. With the machine as described-4. e., with three dials, eachhaving one hundred figures (from 1 to 100)any two numbers under onethousand and all numbers whose product is less than one million may bemultiplied together. To multiply three hundred and twenty-five by fourhundred and sixtyeightlg Product otv three hundred and twen- 2 400 Sty-iive by eight.

300 1.200 18,000 2,000 8,000 120,000 Beginning as usual inmultiplication, eight times tive units is forty units; insert stylus inpocket 40 in dialA and move to stop; then eight times two tens, ortwenty, is one hundred and sixty; move up the on dial A and the 1 ondial B; then eight times three hundreds, or three hundred, is twothousand four hundred; move up the 24: on dial B, and the products ofthree hundred and twenty-iive multiplied by eight will have been addedtogether and will show in the slot in the shield. Now the six in themultiplier, being in the second place, is reallysixty, so that sixtytimes tive units is three hundred units. Move up the 3 on dial B; sixtymultiplied by twenty is twelve hundred; move up the 12 on dial B; sixtymultiplied by three hundred is eighteen thousand; move up S0 on dial Band the 1 on dial C and three hundred and twenty-tive has beenmultiplied by sixty-eight. Now by the 1 -t'. e., four hundredfourhundred multiplied by tive is two thousand; move up the 20 on dial B;four hundred multiplied by twenty is eight thousand; move up the S0 ondial B; four hundred multiplied by three hundred is one hundred andtwenty thousand; move up the 12 on dial C, and the product of threehundred and twenty-tive multiplied by four hundred and sixty-eight willshow in the slots.

A rule for the multiplication would be: Multiply any two digits of thenumbers together and annex as many ciphers to the product as there areplaces to the right of the digits in the original numbers. Thus, in theabove example, four hundred multiplied by three hundred, you say fourmultiplied by three is twelve, and then annex (mentally) four ciphers l2(0000.) In practice nothing is done but move up the 12 on dial C, andlikewise for all the other partial products.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In combination, the ring A, providedProduct ot' three hundred and twentyefive by sixty.

Product ot three hundred and twenty-tive by four hundred.

with a cam A, having a shoulder a, the ring B within the ringAandconcentric therewith, having ratchet-teeth on its inner side, a pawl owithin the second ring B, a movable support therefor independent of therings, and means for operating said movable support, said means beingacted upon by the cam A and its shoulder c, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the ring A, provided with cam A', the ring B,provided with ratchetteeth, the pawl 0, engaging with the ratchetteeth,the radially-movable bar L, bearing upon the cam, and the means forapplying a tension to the parts, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the ring A, with its cam, the ring B, with itsratchet-teeth, the pawl o, engaging the ratchet-teeth, the bar L,bearing upon the cam, the bell-crank between the bar L andthe pawl o,and the spring G, substantially as described.

4. In combination, the ring A, the ring B, with its ratchet, the pawl o,engaging said ratchet, means for operating the pawl, and the leaf-springarranged to bear upon its forward portion and to be compressed as thepawl moves forward, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the ring A, with its cam, the ring B, with itsratchet, the pawl, the means for operating said pawl from the cam ofring A, and means for applying an increasing tension to the 'pawl as itmoves forward, the said cam A having a rapid rise to relieve saidtension at the beginning ot the movement of ring A, substantially asdescribed.

6. In combination, a series of concentric rings with operatingmechanism, the casing having the central rim E and the outer iiange K,and a stop consisting of the bar a: y, eX- tending radially from thecenter rim to the outer iange K and held by both, substantially asdescribed.

'7. In combination, the casing having the central opening and the rimE', the rings, the stop y, having its end projecting down within saidrim, and the plate adapted to said central opening and having a notch toreceive the stop-Wire, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES YV. FOWLER.

NVitnesses:

THos. C. ToUsUP, C. P. SANGER.

IOC

